Family suspects foul play in guard’s drowning

A distraught family is calling for a thorough probe into the death of a 29-year-old security guard whose body was found in the swimming pool at the Liguanea Club in New Kingston last Thursday, his birthday.

Ramone Henry is suspected of drowning, but his grieving family, who claimed he is a great swimmer, has not ruled out foul play.

They are planning to conduct an independent autopsy.

A security guard at Milex for over a decade, Henry was on duty at the club.

Reports are that Henry, of Scarlett Close, Spanish Town, was found afloat in the pool after a guest stumbled upon the body about 5 a.m. on Thursday and alerted the police.

The body was fished and removed to the morgue.

His family said his last post to WhatsApp was eight minutes into his birthday and disclosed that they have information that he was in the company of a woman he hardly knew.

“Thank God. Nuff never live fi see dat. A whole heap of mother grief (sic). Long live the king!” Henry reportedly said on WhatsApp.

The drowning theory is hard to fathom for the family, as Henry was reputed to be a natural swimmer.

“If muscle contract hold him, I don’t think it can make him drown. The security say a di doctor come find him. A next person say is a guest stumble on him … so dem nah give nothing at all … ,” Selena Green, Henry’s sister, told The Gleaner.

A woman who allegedly told investigators that she was Henry’s partner for eight years has also angered the family, who claimed they had never met her before his tragic death.

Henry is survived by a seven-year-old son.

Henry’s mother, Sharon Tapper, told The Gleaner she also believes that investigators are being duped by the mystery woman.

“Anybody my son have, him come introduce dem to his pretty mother, because my son talk highly of me … ,” said Tapper, who is miffed that Henry’s alleged partner identified his body.

The family contends that items were missing from his person, including an undetermined sum of cash.

“When I sit down and run back a survey, I think dem plan for him on his birthday … . The [relative] say the girl tell him that she leave him at the pool. She go upstairs and then she go home,” Tapper said.

Jevaugn Green, Henry’s younger brother, said the family will rely on an independent autopsy.

Ramone, he said, was a proficient swimmer who enjoyed taking a splash at the beach or river.

“I know Ramone didn’t just die like that,” the younger brother said.

Senior Superintendent of Police Marlon Nesbeth, commander of the St Andrew Central Division, told The Gleaner on Monday that Henry’s death is being treated as a suspected drowning until the post-mortem report is completed.

“We have done everything else that we need to do in the meantime. We have interviewed persons, we have collected statements, and waiting on that [report] to make any other determination if there is any to make,” Nesbeth said.

The senior policeman said that foul play is not yet being considered.

“I don’t have that information … . It is always seems to go down that line. We can’t jump, and follow it, but certainly all our due diligence is being done. If that is the case then, that’s where we will be leading,” Nesbeth said in relation to the family’s line of judgement.

The police say a date for the post-mortem has not been finalised.

Milex Security communications officer Dwayne Raynor told The Gleaner that a vigil was held for Henry with the staff on Monday.

Repeated efforts by The Gleaner to speak with the general manager or human resource manager of Liguanea Club have been unsuccessful.

In once instance, this newspaper was informed that personnel were locked in a meeting and on two separate occasions at least two contact numbers were left for a return call which was not forthcoming up to press time.

andre.williams@gleanerjm.com